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Islanders Asked to Discuss Plans for County Study

The Dukes County Charter Study Commission will host three public sessions across the Vineyard this month. The commissioners are inviting members of the Island community to come and participate in their continuing discussion of county government.

The 23-member study commission was formed following the state election in November 2006 to research county government. In May, the commission will publish a report with its recommendations for the future of county government on the Vineyard. The recommendations will then be put on the November ballots for Island voters to consider.

The April sessions will provide an opportunity for the public to weigh in on the issues now under consideration by the commission.

“As we approach the final decisions we will make as a commission, we want to make sure the Island understands the rationale for the tentative recommendations we will make,” said study commission member Tad Crawford.

Likely issues for discussion with the Island community include how many representatives should sit on the county commission and their term lengths, Mr. Crawford said. “These have to do a lot with representation of the community,” he said.

The first of the public sessions will be held at the Chilmark Community Center at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22. On Thursday, April 24, the commission will meet at 5 p.m. at the Oak Bluffs Senior Center. The final session will be held in the Baylies Room of the Whaling Church in Edgartown at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 28.

These meetings will be the final opportunities for citizens to give substantive input to the study commission before its recommendations are made.

For further information about these meetings, please get in touch with Mimi Davisson at 508-696-1075 or at Mimi02557@aol.com.